Venezuelan local history is central to Arístides Medina Rubio’s legacy, which reclaimed regional memory, oral testimony and archives beyond official narratives.

Related: Venezuela Launches Zero-Hunger Plan Targeting 2030 Goal

---

Arístides Medina Rubio: A Lesson in Venezuelan Local History

Venezuelan local history was the life’s work of historian Arístides Medina Rubio, who argued that no universal history is possible without the memory of towns, regions and ordinary people.

Medina Rubio believed that Venezuela’s past had been reduced for too long to the history of Caracas, independence heroes and official dates.

His central thesis was simple but powerful: without local history, universal history is impossible.

The historian was born in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state, on April 27, 1937, and died in Caracas on October 1, 2019, at the age of 82.

He graduated as a professor of History and Geography from the Pedagogical Institute of Caracas in 1969 and earned a doctorate from El Colegio de México in 1974.

Medina Rubio founded the Chair of Venezuelan History at the Pedagogical Institute in 1976 and taught undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses at the Central University of Venezuela.

He directed the university’s School of History from 1986 to 1989 and became one of the country’s leading theorists and promoters of regional history.

His influence extended beyond Venezuela through his work with historians across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Medina Rubio was also an editor, publisher and institution builder. He led Editorial Trópicos and co-founded the journal Tierra Firme in 1982, which has published more than 100 issues.

He served as director of Venezuela’s National Library from 2003 to 2009 and helped found and lead the National Center for History.

His books include Regional History: Seven Essays on Theory and Method (1984), A Minimal History of Venezuela (1994), Introduction to Regional History (1995) and Readings in Regional and Local History (2002).

In 2018, he presented The Venezuelan People: 15,000 Years of History, written with Mario Sanoja, Iraida Vargas, Carmen Bohórquez and Luis Britto García.

The book challenged the idea that Venezuelan history begins with Christopher Columbus or independence, placing Indigenous peoples at the center of the national narrative.

Arístides Medina Venezuelan Local History Beyond Caracas

Biblioteca Nacional de Venezuela | Centro Nacional de Estudios Históricos

Medina Rubio argued that Venezuelan local history had long been overshadowed by a Caracas-centered narrative.

He said official history focused on events such as April 19, 1810, and July 5, 1811, while ignoring the provinces that made up the Spanish Captaincy General of Venezuela.

“The great contribution of those of us who work on regional and local history is that we have reclaimed those spaces,” Medina Rubio said.

“Our history was filled with the history of Caracas, not even the Province of Caracas. The same happened with Maracaibo and Cumaná. Angostura appeared only when Bolívar was there, but beyond that, almost nothing.”

He argued that many Venezuelan towns had histories long before independence, but those stories were often reduced to the presence of famous figures.

He cited the McGregor Stone in El Socorro as an example of a place remembered mainly because a celebrated leader passed through it.

Medina Rubio insisted that local chroniclers preserved details that national histories often overlooked.

He also defended oral history as a legitimate historical source.

“The academic historian works with documents, statistics and maps,” he said. “But the people work with memory, and the only way to preserve that memory is through testimony.”

He said oral testimony passes from generation to generation and preserves events that may never leave a community but remain part of its historical memory.

Medina Rubio pointed to the Tere Tere, a traditional dish from Guatire, as an example of how local knowledge survives through community memory.

He said many people learned about the dish because residents created a magazine to document local flavors and knowledge.

For Medina Rubio, food, crafts, music and everyday practices were also historical sources because they revealed regional identities and social relations.

He noted that the hallaca, considered a national dish, has distinct regional expressions in the Andes, Margarita and central Venezuela.

The historian believed that recognizing those differences was essential to understanding Venezuela as a diverse and plural country.

Venezuelan Local History and the Independence Process

Archivo General de la Nación | Academia Nacional de la Historia

Medina Rubio also challenged traditional accounts of Venezuela’s independence, arguing that the process was broader, more complex and less centralized than official history suggested.

He explained that the people present in Caracas’ Plaza Mayor on April 19, 1810, were mainly from the Province of Caracas.

They came from Charallave, what is now the Plaza municipality, Guarenas and the valleys of Aragua.

People from Barcelona, Margarita, Cumaná, Angostura, the Andes and other regions joined the independence movement later, but quickly.

Medina Rubio said communication was decisive in spreading the movement.

In 1810, news from Caracas could take weeks to reach other parts of the country. Yet the April 19 events spread within eight to 10 days.

Caracas was the most important city in the Captaincy General, which included seven provinces.

After the Caracas council declared the Junta of the Rights of Ferdinand VII, later transformed into the Supreme Junta of Caracas, emissaries were sent to other provinces.

Their mission was to secure support for the Caracas movement and build consensus across the Captaincy General.

Of the seven provinces, only Maracaibo, Coro and Guayana did not immediately join. They later incorporated into the independence process.

Medina Rubio said the role of those emissaries remained insufficiently studied.

He also argued that many historical documents had been hidden or removed from public access for decades.

He pointed to the case of independence leader Francisco de Miranda and Juan Germán Roscio, who served as prosecutor against Miranda in 1806.

Medina Rubio said Roscio’s role in condemning Miranda and others captured at Ocumare had long been obscured by official narratives.

He said archives later revealed another side of Roscio, not to erase his contribution to independence, but to show that his life had more than one phase.

Medina Rubio said three volumes of previously unknown Miranda documents were later published, while other archives remained insufficiently studied.

Democratizing Venezuelan Historical Knowledge

Venezuelan Ministry of Popular Power for Education | Fundación Librerías del Sur

Medina Rubio believed that the democratization of Venezuelan local history required recovering archives, publishing forgotten documents and training new historians.

He said that before 1960, Venezuelan history was often presented as a nearly divine war led by elites.

He cited the 1808 Revolution of Caracas, organized by wealthy Caracas elites known as mantuanos against Spanish rule.

Although the movement was betrayed, Medina Rubio considered it more important than earlier pre-independence uprisings led by figures such as Pirela and Chirino, as well as Miranda’s invasions.

He noted that the first major study of the movement, Andrés de Ponte’s The Revolution of Caracas, was published in 1910 and not republished until after the 1960s.

Medina Rubio said that after 1960, the work of the General Archive of the Nation, the National Academy of History and university history schools began to recover Venezuela’s past.

Books written by witnesses, memoirists and military figures became available to researchers and the public.

After 1998, he said, the recovery of historical memory accelerated further.

More archives were created, and descendants of historical figures began donating documents to the National Library, the General Archive of the Nation and the National Academy of History.

Medina Rubio said those archives allowed a completely different understanding of Venezuela’s past.

He also criticized the fact that, until about 2002, Venezuelan school history textbooks were produced in Spain.

He said the government purchased millions of books from the Spanish publisher Santillana, with financing linked to international institutions.

Medina Rubio said that practice ended during the government of Hugo Chávez, when he was director of the National Library and Aristóbulo Istúriz was education minister.

He argued that replacing Santillana’s editorial capacity would take years because it involved producing and updating textbooks for millions of students.

For Medina Rubio, the transformation of historical knowledge was a long-term process tied to education, archives and public access to information.

Venezuelan Local History and Social Consciousness

UNESCO Memory of the World | Latin American Council of Social Sciences

Medina Rubio argued that Venezuelan local history helps people understand present-day problems and develop independent civic consciousness.

He gave the example of a town without drinking water or an aqueduct.

Residents may ask why there is no water system despite the existence of a large river nearby.

By investigating the issue, they may discover that a nearby aqueduct serves land owned by a powerful landowner.

That discovery can lead people to organize and fight for their rights.

For Medina Rubio, local history was therefore a tool for social awareness and political action.

He also emphasized the importance of recovering the everyday lives of ordinary people, including songs, dances, food and popular traditions.

He noted that colonial society was deeply marked by class and racial hierarchies.

The term “mantuano” referred to wealthy white elites because the Church allowed only white women to wear mantles, while Black, Indigenous and mixed-race people were excluded.

Medina Rubio said food also reflected those hierarchies. Elites ate refined dishes, while ordinary people ate sancocho, a mixture of ingredients cooked in a gourd.

He argued that history must recover those excluded voices and recognize collective actors as makers of their own history.

Medina Rubio believed that independence was not a completed event but an unfinished process.

He said Venezuela had not yet built a fully independent structure or developed independence as a collective way of life.

For him, history should not be reduced to memorizing dates, names and places.

It should reveal processes, recover local heroes and connect the past with present realities.

His legacy continues through the historians, archivists and communities working to recover Venezuela’s regional memory.

---

US midterm elections see 23 million early votes cast, with surging turnout in key states as voters weigh the economy and congressional control.

Related: Florida A&M Shooting: 11 Shot Near University During Homecoming

---

US Midterm Elections Draw 23 Million Early Votes

The US midterm elections have already drawn more than 23 million early votes nationwide as Americans head to the polls ahead of the November 3 election.

The total marks a sharp increase compared with the same point in the 2022 midterm cycle, when about 15 million ballots had been accepted.

The surge in early voting is concentrated in states with competitive races that could determine control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Analysts say the rise reflects growing concern among working-class voters over the high cost of living, housing, healthcare and economic insecurity.

In North Carolina, more than 1.2 million early votes had been accepted, an increase of 37 percent compared with the same period four years ago.

Early voting among registered Democrats rose by 47 percent, while participation among unaffiliated voters increased by 60 percent.

By contrast, early voting among registered Republicans increased by only 2.6 percent.

The figures do not reveal how individual voters cast their ballots, but they show a significant shift in the pace and composition of turnout.

The increase is particularly notable because North Carolina is one of the key battlegrounds in the fight for the Senate.

US Midterm Elections See Turnout Surge in Key States

US Election Assistance Commission | National Association of Secretaries of State

The rise in early voting is not limited to North Carolina. Similar trends have been reported in several states with decisive contests.

In Kansas, early voting increased by approximately 69 percent.

In Maine, turnout rose by 41 percent, while Iowa recorded a 24 percent increase.

In Texas, election officials reported record participation in the metropolitan areas of Dallas and Houston since voting centers opened.

Texas is a key state in this year’s elections because its Latino community represents at least 30 percent of the electorate.

Polling and organizing efforts suggest a shift in Latino voter mobilization, driven by economic pressures and rejection of anti-immigrant rhetoric from conservative sectors.

The midterm elections will renew all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate.

Voters will also elect governors in 36 states and three territories.

Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-seat majority in the House, the smallest possible majority, leaving dozens of districts in play.

Democrats need to gain four Senate seats to take control of the upper chamber, a difficult but not impossible task.

Key Senate races are taking place in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Michigan and New Hampshire.

The outcome will determine whether Democrats can block or advance legislation on taxation, healthcare, immigration, energy policy and judicial appointments.

Public dissatisfaction with the economy has become a central issue in the campaign.

Polling cited in the article places approval of the government’s cost-of-living policy at just 21 percent, reflecting widespread concern over inflation, wages and living conditions.

The high level of early participation suggests that voters are treating the midterms as a major political test rather than a routine election.

US Midterm Elections Face Alaska Certification Battle

US Department of Justice | Alaska Division of Elections

The US midterm elections have also been marked by an unprecedented legal dispute in Alaska.

The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on October 22 seeking to block Alaska from certifying its Senate election results if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola.

The case centers on the presence of a second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher whose name closely resembles that of the incumbent senator.

The Justice Department argues that the similar names could confuse voters and affect the outcome of the race.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to prevent certification of any result that may have been affected by voter confusion.

It also seeks an investigation into whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were intended for Senator Dan S. Sullivan.

President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that he ordered the Justice Department to file the lawsuit.

The legal action came 11 days before the election, after early voting had already begun in Alaska.

The case has been strongly criticized by voting-rights groups, Democratic organizations and legal experts.

They argue that the federal government lacks authority to intervene in state-run elections and that the lawsuit represents an attempt to override the will of Alaska voters.

The campaign of Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and groups including the League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause have sought to intervene in the case.

They are asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit and protect the integrity of the state’s electoral process.

Alaska’s courts had previously rejected efforts to remove Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. from the ballot.

A federal judge and the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that his candidacy was constitutionally valid.

The dispute has drawn attention because Alaska’s Senate seat could be decisive for control of the upper chamber.

Alaska is also strategically important because of its vast oil, gas and mineral reserves.

The outcome of the race could affect future decisions on energy leases, mining permits and federal policy in the Arctic region.

Geopolitical Context

The US midterm elections will have consequences beyond domestic politics because Congress plays a central role in shaping US foreign, economic and security policy.

Control of the House and Senate will determine whether the administration can advance its legislative agenda or face greater opposition.

The elections will influence decisions on government spending, taxation, immigration, climate policy and military funding.

They will also affect the confirmation of federal judges and senior government officials.

The Alaska Senate race is particularly significant because of the state’s strategic location in the Arctic and its vast energy resources.

The United States has increased its focus on Arctic security amid competition with Russia and China over shipping routes, military presence and access to natural resources.

The outcome of the election could influence future policy on oil drilling, mining and infrastructure development in Alaska.

The surge in early voting also reflects a broader debate over democratic participation in the United States.

Voting-rights groups have warned that legal challenges to election certification can undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.

The Alaska case has raised concerns that federal power could be used to influence state-run elections.

The dispute comes as political polarization continues to deepen across the country.

The high turnout suggests that many voters see the midterms as a referendum on economic conditions, democratic norms and the direction of the country.

The results will shape the final two years of the current presidential term and could redefine the balance of power in Washington.

---

Gaza food crisis deepens as Israel blocks flour supplies, leaving only seven bakeries operating and 1.4 million Palestinians facing acute hunger.

Related: New U.S. and Israeli Military Actions Against Iran Would Be Underway

---

Gaza Food Crisis Worsens as Israel Blocks Flour Supplies

The Gaza food crisis has reached a critical point after Israel blocked commercial flour shipments, leaving Gaza’s last seven operating bakeries at risk of closing within 48 hours.

Abdul Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza Bakeries Association, warned on Thursday, October 22, that flour reserves in the enclave had been exhausted.

He said the remaining bakeries would stop producing bread within two days unless new supplies were allowed to enter.

“Israel kept the crossings closed throughout last week and continues to strangle the supply of commercial flour even after partially reopening them,” al-Ajrami said.

He added that the small amount of flour previously stored had already run out, forcing several bakeries to shut down.

Only seven of the 20 bakeries that had been operating in Gaza remained active when the warning was issued.

The closure of bakeries would deprive families of one of the few remaining sources of affordable food in the devastated territory.

Bread is a basic staple for Palestinian households, particularly as prices for other foods have risen sharply amid shortages and reduced humanitarian assistance.

The Gaza food crisis has worsened as commercial supplies have been blocked and international aid has been reduced.

Al-Ajrami said the flour currently sold in local markets comes from the United Nations World Food Programme, known as the WFP.

Commercial bakeries that depend on supplies brought through the crossings have been left without raw materials.

The shortage has intensified since the WFP announced a severe funding deficit and reduced food assistance for more than half a million people in Gaza.

The reduction has left more families competing for limited flour while prices continue to rise.

Gaza Food Crisis Deepens as WFP Cuts Aid

World Food Programme | United Nations News

The Gaza food crisis has been compounded by a major reduction in humanitarian assistance from the World Food Programme.

On October 19, the WFP announced that funding shortages had forced it to cut food assistance in Gaza by about one-third.

The agency said the number of people receiving food and cash assistance would fall from 1.6 million in September to 1.1 million in October.

That means approximately 500,000 people will lose access to critical food support as winter approaches.

The WFP has also halved food rations. Families receiving assistance will now receive one food parcel instead of two, along with a smaller bag of wheat flour.

The agency has reduced daily hot meals from 250,000 to 150,000 and cut cash assistance for 75,000 families.

The WFP said the cuts were not caused by a reduction in humanitarian needs or by a lack of access to deliver aid.

“We don’t have the funding to sustain the levels of assistance that are required,” said Shaun Hughes, the WFP’s representative and country director in Palestine.

The agency said it urgently needs $450 million to maintain critical operations in Gaza and the West Bank from October 2026 to March 2027.

The WFP received less than half of the funding allocated to its operations in Palestine in 2026 compared with previous years.

The funding shortfall has come at a time when approximately 1.4 million people, or 67 percent of Gaza’s population, face acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse.

The WFP estimates that around 200,000 people are experiencing emergency conditions and require immediate food assistance to prevent deaths from hunger.

The agency said it can still support bakeries that cover one-third of Gaza’s bread needs, provide nutrition assistance to 300,000 women and children and deliver school snacks to 200,000 students.

However, the reduction in aid has placed additional pressure on families already struggling to obtain basic food supplies.

Gaza Food Crisis Exposes Impact of Israel’s Blockade

United Nations Relief and Works Agency | World Health Organization

The Gaza food crisis is closely linked to Israel’s restrictions on the entry of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid.

Human rights organizations say Israeli authorities have repeatedly closed Gaza’s crossings since early October, obstructing the entry of essential supplies.

The closures have deepened shortages of flour, cooking gas, fuel and medical materials across the enclave.

The Rafah crossing has remained closed to sick and injured Palestinians waiting to be evacuated for treatment abroad.

International health organizations have also raised concerns about continued attacks on medical facilities and the detention of healthcare workers.

Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face an imminent humanitarian catastrophe if restrictions on flour and bakery supplies continue.

The ministry called for immediate action to stop what it described as Israel’s systematic policy of starvation and the use of food as a weapon against civilians.

Israel has said the disruption in commercial deliveries stems from a fiscal dispute between traders and the administration led by Hamas.

Palestinian traders have rejected that explanation and say the restrictions remain in place.

The Israeli military has said commercial goods would resume entering Gaza after a five-day pause.

However, Palestinian traders reported that major cuts to food supplies remained in force and that the blockade had become increasingly severe.

The WFP said the halt in commercial truck entries through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing was further restricting supplies entering Gaza.

The organization warned that restrictions on goods entering the territory were holding back recovery and reducing the purchasing power of families.

The Gaza food crisis has been aggravated by the destruction of infrastructure, displacement and the collapse of local agriculture and food production.

Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with many families living in tents or overcrowded shelters without reliable access to clean water, sanitation or cooking fuel.

The World Health Organization has warned that malnutrition, disease and the collapse of healthcare services are creating a deadly combination for civilians.

Geopolitical Context

The Gaza food crisis has implications beyond the immediate humanitarian emergency because it reflects the broader political and military conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Control over crossings, food supplies and humanitarian aid has become a central element of the conflict.

International law requires parties to a conflict to allow humanitarian assistance to reach civilians and to protect access to food, water and medical care.

Human rights organizations argue that the deliberate restriction of essential goods may constitute collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law.

The crisis has drawn attention from the United Nations, international courts and humanitarian agencies, which have repeatedly called for unrestricted access to Gaza.

The situation also has regional implications. Egypt, Jordan and other neighboring countries have faced pressure to facilitate aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

The closure of the Rafah crossing has left injured and seriously ill Palestinians unable to leave Gaza for treatment.

The Gaza food crisis could further destabilize the region by increasing displacement, deepening poverty and fueling anger across the Arab and Muslim world.

The United Nations has warned that famine risk remains high as winter approaches and humanitarian funding declines.

The WFP has said that recent modest improvements in food security remain fragile and could be reversed if access and funding are not restored.

The immediate priority is to allow flour, fuel and medical supplies to enter Gaza and to restore the operations of bakeries and humanitarian kitchens.

Without urgent action, the Gaza food crisis could push the territory into a new phase of mass hunger and deepen one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.

---

Pope Leo XIV demands an end to Yemen hostilities, highlights Taiz’s humanitarian crisis and calls for peace after a deadly church attack in Jordan.

Related: Pope Leo XIV Confirms Official Visit to Argentina in November

---

Pope Leo XIV Demands End to Yemen Hostilities

Pope Leo XIV demanded an immediate end to Yemen hostilities during his Angelus address on Sunday, October 25, warning that civilians are paying the highest price in the conflict. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace before thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

He paid particular attention to the city of Taiz, where residents are suffering from severe shortages of food, drinking water and medical care.

“I make a heartfelt appeal for hostilities to cease and for the Yemeni people and all the peoples of the region to be guaranteed the right to live in peace,” Pope Leo said.

The pope’s message came as fighting and road closures have cut off vital supplies in Taiz, leaving civilians increasingly isolated. The Vatican said the pope’s appeal was directed at all parties involved in the conflict and at the international community.

Pope Leo also condemned the broader spiral of violence affecting West Asia, calling for urgent guarantees for regional peace. He denounced the devastating consequences of armed confrontations across the region and urged leaders to choose dialogue over war.

The pontiff said wars not only cause death and destruction but also impoverish and damage the world. His appeal placed the humanitarian suffering of Yemeni civilians at the center of the Vatican’s message.

Pope Leo XIV draws attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, remembers victims of an attack on Christians in Jordan, and looks ahead to the Assisi gathering marking 40 years since the first World Day of Prayer for Peace.https://t.co/UZ47Hb6oMw

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 25, 2026

Yemen Hostilities Deepen Taiz Humanitarian Crisis

Vatican News | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The pope’s warning focused on Taiz, a city that has become one of the most visible symbols of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

Residents face severe shortages of food, clean water, fuel and basic medical services as fighting and road closures restrict the movement of supplies.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that the blockade of supply routes has worsened conditions for hundreds of thousands of people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for unimpeded humanitarian access to affected communities across Yemen.

Yemen has been devastated by years of war, economic collapse and the destruction of essential infrastructure.

The conflict has left millions of people dependent on humanitarian assistance and has created one of the world’s most severe food-security emergencies.

The pope said the Yemeni people, like all peoples of the region, have the right to live in peace.

His message also called for an end to the cycle of violence that has spread across West Asia.

Pope Leo condemned the human cost of armed conflict and urged the international community to prioritize negotiation and diplomacy.

The Vatican has repeatedly emphasized that military solutions cannot resolve political crises or address the needs of civilians.

The pope’s appeal comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, where conflicts have displaced communities, damaged infrastructure and deepened humanitarian needs.

The Vatican’s message called for a regional approach to peace that protects civilians and guarantees access to humanitarian aid.

🚨 Saná denunció que Arabia Saudita incumplió pactos previos a 2023 al bombardear el aeropuerto de la capital y poner fin a la tregua. Mohammed Abdul-Salam afirmó que la vía diplomática se agotó tras la falta de respuestas claras de Riad. #Yemen #ArabiaSaudita #teleSUR #19Oct pic.twitter.com/ONZhAvdkCG

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 19, 2026

Pope Leo XIV Mourns Jordan Church Attack Victims

Jordan News Agency | Middle East Council of Churches

Pope Leo XIV also addressed the deadly attack on worshippers at Saint George’s Orthodox Church in Hamoud, in Jordan’s Karak governorate.

The attack occurred on Friday, October 23, during a funeral service at the church.

Jordanian authorities said gunmen opened fire on worshippers, killing nine people and wounding around 40 others.

The pope prayed for those killed and injured in the attack and expressed his closeness to the affected community.

He also expressed solidarity with Jordan, a country he praised for its history of peaceful coexistence and respect among different religions.

Jordan declared three days of national mourning following the attack.

Jordanian authorities launched an investigation to identify those responsible. No group had claimed responsibility for the attack as of Sunday.

Christian leaders across the region condemned the attack as a crime against humanity and an assault on religious coexistence.

Patriarchs and heads of Churches in Jerusalem called on churches across the region to ring their bells in solidarity and pray for the victims.

The pope’s response highlighted the vulnerability of religious communities in a region marked by political instability and sectarian tensions.

His message emphasized that attacks on places of worship are attacks on human dignity and the right to religious freedom.

The Vatican has repeatedly called for the protection of Christian communities and all religious minorities in the Middle East.

119 ataques aéreos de la coalición saudita en 24 horas contra Yemen. En Taiz, un bombardeo a una escuela y un puesto sanitario dejó 3 muertos y 12 heridos, entre ellos mujeres y niños. La escalada supera 2.177 agresiones. #teleSUR #13oct pic.twitter.com/SLJn8j89uW

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 13, 2026

Assisi Meeting Marks 40 Years of Interfaith Peace

Community of Sant’Egidio | Holy See Press Office

Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to join spiritually in the peace gathering taking place in Assisi, Italy, on October 27.

The meeting, titled “Unarmed and Disarming Peace,” marks the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened by Saint John Paul II in 1986.

The event is organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and brings together religious leaders, representatives of Christian Churches and figures from other faiths.

The 2026 gathering includes 384 representatives of religions, cultures and institutions from 53 countries.

Participants will take part in 24 thematic forums addressing conflict, disarmament, migration, poverty, young people and the role of religions in building peace.

The pope had planned to attend the closing ceremony in person but canceled the trip on medical advice after undergoing thoracic surgery.

The Vatican said Pope Leo would send a message expressing his closeness to organizers and participants.

The pope urged believers around the world to join the Assisi gathering in prayer.

“Never has it been more evident that wars, in addition to sowing death and destruction, impoverish and harm the world,” he said.

The pope called on the international community to abandon weapons and commit decisively to understanding and harmony among peoples.

The Assisi meeting recalls the historic 1986 gathering, when Pope John Paul II brought together representatives of different religions to pray for peace.

That event became a landmark in interreligious dialogue and remains a reference point for Vatican diplomacy.

The 2026 meeting seeks to renew that tradition at a time of multiple conflicts and growing humanitarian crises.

Geopolitical Context

The pope’s appeal on Yemen hostilities reflects the Vatican’s broader diplomatic effort to promote dialogue in a region marked by war and humanitarian emergencies.

Yemen’s conflict has become one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with millions of people facing hunger, displacement and limited access to healthcare.

The war has drawn in regional and international powers, making a political solution increasingly difficult.

The crisis in Taiz illustrates how blockades, fighting and the collapse of public services can trap civilians between military objectives and humanitarian needs.

Pope Leo’s message also comes amid rising tensions across West Asia, where conflicts in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Yemen have deepened regional instability.

The Vatican has positioned itself as a voice for civilian protection, humanitarian access and negotiated settlements.

The pope’s call for peace in Yemen and his solidarity with Jordan highlight the connection between armed conflict, religious violence and the erosion of social cohesion.

The Assisi gathering offers a platform for religious leaders to promote dialogue at a time when political institutions face growing difficulty in resolving conflicts.

The Vatican argues that interreligious cooperation can help reduce hatred, protect minorities and build conditions for peace.

The pope’s message is a reminder that wars have consequences beyond battlefields: they destroy economies, displace communities and damage the future of entire generations.

---

Florida A&M shooting near Bragg Memorial Stadium leaves 11 people shot, including six minors, as Tallahassee police investigate after homecoming.

Related: United States Escalated Hostility Toward Cuba Throughout 2026

---

Florida A&M Shooting Leaves 11 People Shot Near University

The Florida A&M shooting left 11 people with gunshot wounds and one additional person injured on Saturday, October 24, near Florida A&M University’s Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.

The shooting occurred shortly before 8:00 p.m. near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, just hours after the university’s homecoming football game.

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said 12 people were injured in total. Eleven were shot, while the 12th person was injured while fleeing the scene.

The victims included six adults and six minors. The youngest was an 11-year-old child.

Police said at least three victims suffered serious injuries. One of them, a minor, remained in critical condition as of Sunday morning.

The other eight shooting victims were reported in stable condition. By Sunday morning, five victims had been released from the hospital, while six remained hospitalized.

Police said one of the injured was a student at Florida A&M University. The university confirmed that it was aware of the incident near campus.

The 12th victim was identified by Revell as the grandmother of one of the shooting victims. She was injured while trying to escape the area during the panic.

The shooting took place during homecoming weekend, when thousands of students, alumni and visitors had gathered in Tallahassee for celebrations and the football game.

Florida A&M University issued a safety alert urging people to avoid the area around Bragg Stadium and Perry Street while police investigated.

The university said its campus remained safe but asked community members to allow law enforcement to carry out its work.

🚨At least 12 people are injured, including six children, in a shooting near a football stadium in Tallahassee on homecoming weekend for #Florida A&M University. #Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters that no arrests had been made yet following the Saturday… pic.twitter.com/G0MSaiSAkF

— ⚡️🌎 Sarwar 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) October 25, 2026

Florida A&M Shooting Follows Homecoming Game

Tallahassee Police Department | Florida A&M University

The Florida A&M shooting occurred after the university’s homecoming football game at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Florida A&M’s Rattlers lost 31-28 to the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in the homecoming game earlier that day.

Police said preliminary information indicates that a physical altercation between two or three people preceded the shooting.

Chief Revell said investigators believe one shooter was involved. However, no arrests had been made and no suspect had been identified as of Sunday morning.

The Tallahassee Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation.

Officers, detectives, sergeants and forensic personnel remained at the scene, collecting evidence and reviewing information from witnesses.

Revell said police were still working to determine exactly what happened and to identify those responsible.

The police chief described the incident as an isolated event and said there was no indication that it was a random attack against the university.

He also said that about two dozen officers were already in the area when the altercation broke out, given the large crowds present for homecoming.

The shooting occurred in a crowded area near the stadium, where families, students and visitors had gathered after the game.

The presence of children among the victims has intensified concern about gun violence affecting young people in the United States.

Police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Tallahassee Police Department or Crime Stoppers.

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or confirmed a motive.

The investigation remains active and officials have warned that preliminary details could change as evidence is reviewed.

As of 11:30 p.m., the Tallahassee Police Department is continuing its active investigation into a shooting that occurred just before 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets. Read the full news release: https://t.co/wNqNznTLyb

— Tallahassee Police (@TallyPD) October 25, 2026

Florida A&M Shooting Highlights US Gun Violence

Everytown for Gun Safety | Gun Violence Archive

The Florida A&M shooting is the latest in a series of mass shootings that continue to affect communities across the United States.

The incident occurred near one of the country’s historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs.

Florida A&M University was founded in 1887 and has played a central role in expanding access to higher education for Black students in the United States.

The university is a symbol of the struggle of Black communities against racial segregation and structural racism in American education.

Homecoming is one of the most important cultural events at HBCUs. It brings together students, alumni, families and local residents in celebrations that strengthen community ties.

The shooting has cast a shadow over those celebrations and raised questions about public safety around large public events.

Gun violence remains a persistent crisis in the United States. Mass shootings occur regularly in schools, universities, public spaces, workplaces and residential areas.

The country continues to face political divisions over gun control, background checks, access to firearms and community-based violence prevention.

Advocacy groups have called for stronger measures to reduce access to weapons by people at risk of committing violence.

They have also urged investment in youth programs, mental health services and community intervention initiatives.

The Tallahassee shooting highlights the impact of gun violence beyond those directly targeted. Bystanders, families and entire communities can be affected by a single act of violence.

The injury of a grandmother fleeing the scene illustrates how panic and fear can harm people who were not involved in the original dispute.

Geopolitical Context

The Florida A&M shooting has implications beyond Tallahassee because it reflects the broader crisis of gun violence in the United States.

Gun violence affects public health, education, economic activity and social cohesion across the country.

Mass shootings near universities and sporting events undermine confidence in public spaces and create fear among students and families.

The incident is particularly significant because it occurred at an HBCU during homecoming, a moment of cultural pride and community gathering.

HBCUs have historically played a vital role in advancing educational opportunity and civil rights in the United States.

Violence near these institutions adds to concerns about the safety of Black students and communities, particularly in a country still marked by racial inequality.

The shooting may also intensify national debate over gun legislation, policing and the protection of young people.

Federal, state and local authorities face growing pressure to address both the availability of firearms and the social conditions that contribute to violence.

For Tallahassee, the incident represents a major test for public safety institutions and community leaders.

The university has asked for calm and cooperation while police continue their investigation.

The immediate priority is to identify those responsible and support the victims and their families.

The Florida A&M shooting is a reminder that gun violence remains one of the most urgent social and political challenges facing the United States.

---

Peru protests bring students, unions and victims’ families to Lima to demand action on extortion, wildfires, living costs and police reform.

Related: Peru’s Youth Protest Government Over Crime And Forest Fires

---

Peru Protests Bring Generation Z to Lima Against Fujimori

Peru protests filled the historic center of Lima on Saturday, October 24, as young people, students, unions and victims’ families demanded action from President Keiko Fujimori’s government.

Demonstrators began gathering at 4:00 p.m. at Plaza San Martín, a historic site of popular struggles in the Peruvian capital.

The march was convened by groups identifying with Generation Z, along with human rights organizations, university students and self-organized citizens.

Participants included students from the National University of San Marcos and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

The protesters demanded responses to a wave of extortion, the environmental crisis caused by forest fires, the rising cost of living and impunity for state repression.

They marched through Jirón de la Unión and Avenida Grau before advancing toward Avenida Abancay.

The demonstration was largely peaceful but firm. Participants carried Peruvian flags and banners reading “Put out the fires,” “For a Peru that is never indifferent to its people’s suffering,” and “Urgent police reform.”

Local media estimated that around 1,000 people took part in the Lima march.

Similar mobilizations were reported in Arequipa, Cusco, Ica, Huancayo, Trujillo and Juliaca.

The protests reflect growing discontent with the government’s handling of insecurity, environmental emergencies and economic pressures affecting working-class communities.

Peru Protests Demand Police Reform and Security

Peru’s Ministry of the Interior | Amnesty International—Peru

One of the central demands of the Peru protests was an end to extortion networks that affect transport workers, merchants, shopkeepers and small business owners.

Protesters said criminal groups are imposing payments on workers and entrepreneurs in popular neighborhoods, creating fear and undermining local economies.

Demonstrators called for a deep police reform to dismantle corruption networks within the police force.

They also demanded stronger intelligence work and community-based prevention rather than the repression of social protest.

The marchers criticized the use of security forces against demonstrations and called for greater protection for vulnerable communities.

During the march, police blocked the route to prevent demonstrators from reaching the exterior of the Congress of the Republic.

The image of officers containing the crowd highlighted the distance between a closed political institution and a mobilized population demanding to be heard.

The protest also included relatives of people killed during the social protests between December 2022 and June 2023.

They carried photographs of their loved ones and demanded justice for the deaths that occurred during the political crisis.

Milagros Samillán, whose brother was killed in January 2023 in Juliaca, Puno, said families were still demanding accountability four years after what she described as the massacres of 2022 and 2023.

Human rights organizations have documented serious concerns about the use of force during those protests.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly reported that 68 people died between December 7, 2022, and April 7, 2023, in the context of protests across nine regions.

The UN official said that 74 percent of those deaths occurred during confrontations with law enforcement.

Civil society organizations have called for independent investigations, prosecutions and reparations for victims and their families.

Peru Protests Highlight Wildfire and Climate Crisis

Peru’s National Institute of Civil Defense | United Nations Environment Programme

The environmental emergency was another major focus of the Peru protests.

Demonstrators denounced the government’s response to forest fires that affected 16 regions across the country.

According to Peru’s National Center of Emergency Operations, known as COEN, and the National Institute of Civil Defense, known as Indeci, the fires caused 479 emergencies.

The disasters left 12 people dead and 708 people affected, according to the official figures cited during the mobilization.

The fires destroyed 1,299 hectares of crops and more than 13,800 hectares of natural cover.

They also caused severe damage to local wildlife and livestock, affecting rural and Indigenous communities.

The affected regions included Cusco, Puno, Junín, Apurímac, Áncash, Huancavelica, Arequipa, Amazonas and Cajamarca.

Protesters said the government failed to provide enough brigades, funding and prevention measures to confront the emergency.

One young demonstrator said the fires were only extinguished after rainfall arrived, not because of an effective state response.

“Tuvo que llover para que recién se apagaran los incendios,” she said, denouncing the lack of brigades, budget and prevention.

Another protester criticized the floods caused by heavy rains in Piura and the absence of a strategic plan to address the El Niño phenomenon.

El Niño periodically devastates northern Peru through intense rainfall, flooding and damage to infrastructure.

Demonstrators said corruption in reconstruction projects and the abandonment of public infrastructure have worsened the impact of these climate events.

The protesters demanded a parliamentary investigation into the origin of the fires and adequate reparations for affected communities.

They also called on national, regional and local authorities to strengthen prevention and prepare for future climate emergencies.

Geopolitical Context

The Peru protests reflect a broader wave of youth-led mobilization across Latin America.

Generation Z movements have emerged as a political force in several countries, demanding action on insecurity, corruption, inequality, climate change and democratic accountability.

In Peru, the protests come amid a prolonged institutional crisis marked by political instability, social conflict and public distrust in state institutions.

The country has experienced a succession of presidents and governments in recent years, deepening polarization and weakening public confidence.

Keiko Fujimori’s government faces pressure to respond to demands for security without resorting to repressive measures.

The demand for police reform is particularly sensitive because of the legacy of state violence during the 2022 and 2023 protests.

The forest fires also expose the unequal impact of climate change in Peru.

Rural and Indigenous communities in the Andes and Amazon face the greatest risks, despite having contributed least to global emissions.

The destruction of crops, forests and livestock threatens food security, local economies and the cultural survival of affected communities.

The protests could increase pressure on Congress and the executive branch to allocate more resources to disaster prevention, environmental protection and social repair.

They may also influence the political debate ahead of future electoral processes, as youth movements seek greater representation in national politics.

For now, the mobilization has made clear that insecurity, climate emergencies and impunity are no longer separate issues.

For many young Peruvians, they form part of the same crisis of governance, and the demand is simple: a state that protects its people instead of abandoning them.

---